Lonmin protesters remanded in custody

The 259 men arrested after a deadly police crackdown at Lonmin mine in Marikana heard charges on Monday ranging from murder to public violence, in the first court hearing from the tragedy.

All the men, except one who is hospitalised, were brought in groups before the court in the Pretoria township of Ga-Rankuwa to hear the charges. Their next hearing was set for August 27.

Magistrate Esau Bodigelo remanded all the men in custody.
An exact breakdown of all the charges was not immediately available, with proceedings being translated into several languages.

On Thursday police opened fire on hundreds of workers during a strike at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine, leaving 34 dead and 78 wounded in the bloodiest day of protest since apartheid.

Police convoys with armoured vehicles brought the accused from prisons across the region to the court, where a group of around 100 people cheered as they arrived.

The group of mostly women brandished placards with slogans such as "Release the innocent workers".

The accused appeared before a packed courtroom, with half the public gallery cordoned off with police tape and armed officers.

Special visit
Meanwhile, several opposition parties on Monday visited the site of the Lonmin shooting in Marikana ahead of a special parliamentary sitting that will debate the incident on Tuesday.

United Democratic Movement (UDM) president Bantu Holomisa told the Mail & Guardian opposition parties were requested to visit the scene of the shooting that claimed the lives of 34 miners last Thursday.

"We decided it would be prudent for a forum of opposition leaders to come here and form our own opinions on this matter," Holomisa told the M&G.

Holomisa was joined by Congress of the People president Mosiuoa Lekota, African Christian Democratic Party president Kenneth Meshoe, Pan African Congress president Letlapa Mphahlele, Democratic Alliance Federal chairperson Wilmot James and representatives from the Inkhatha Freedom Party on his trip to the mine.

"We have heard the workers concerns and we have familiarised ourselves with the situation. We will now be in a better position to ask the right questions in parliament," he said.

All chief whips representing political parties in parliament have been called to an urgent multiparty chief whips forum on Tuesday to discuss Parliament's reaction to the tragedy.

Members of Parliament from all political parties and leaders from various churches are also expected to hold a memorial service in Parliament's Old Assembly Chamber tomorrow at midday in honour of the victims of the violent protests.

Last week 34 people were killed and 78 were wounded in a shootout between police and miners in Marikana, Rustenburg.

Return to work
The majority of those killed are understood to have been involved in an illegal strike at the mine after rock drillers affiliated to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) demanded their monthly salary of R4 000 be increased to R12 500.

While the exact reasons behind the shooting remain unclear, Lonmin management have ordered all workers to return to work on Monday.

After workers still refused to return to work, a new deadline of 7am Tuesday was set by mine management for workers to return to their posts.

If they failed to do so, workers still undertaking industrial action would be immediately dismissed.

The ANC said they didn't join the opposition led visit to Marikana as the ruling party trusted the "competent constituencies" dealing with the matter.

"We are confident there are enough feet on the ground to deal with the matter," ANC spokesperson Keith Khoza told the M&G.

"The president has ordered a commission of enquiry, the police are investigating the incident, there is an inter-ministerial task team and the mineral resources department is also investigating."

Khoza added that opposition parties might be wasting their time.

"This is a matter between Lonmin and union affiliations and it must be sorted out within these guidelines," he said.

Holomisa said all political parties are entitled to be there.

"They are entitled to their own opinions. We are not here for politicking and were certainly couldn't just leave these people to rot – especially after they requested us to come and see them," Holomisa said.

Nickolaus Bauer

Nickolaus Bauer is the Mail & Guardian's jack of all trades news reporter that chases down stories ranging from politics and sports to big business and social justice.
Armed with an iPad, SLR camera, camcorder and dictaphone, he aims to fight ignorance and pessimism through written words, photographs and videos.
He believes South Africa could be the greatest country in the world if only her citizens would give her a chance to flourish instead of dwell on the negativity.
When he's not begging his sub-editors for an extra twenty minutes after deadline, he's also known to dabble in the occasional poignant column that will leave you mulling around in the depths of your psyche.
The quintessential workaholic, you can also catch him doing sports on the weekday breakfast show on SAfm and presenting the SAfm Sports Special over the weekend.

Nickolaus Bauer

Nickolaus Bauer is the Mail & Guardian's jack of all trades news reporter that chases down stories ranging from politics and sports to big business and social justice.
Armed with an iPad, SLR camera, camcorder and dictaphone, he aims to fight ignorance and pessimism through written words, photographs and videos.
He believes South Africa could be the greatest country in the world if only her citizens would give her a chance to flourish instead of dwell on the negativity.
When he's not begging his sub-editors for an extra twenty minutes after deadline, he's also known to dabble in the occasional poignant column that will leave you mulling around in the depths of your psyche.
The quintessential workaholic, you can also catch him doing sports on the weekday breakfast show on SAfm and presenting the SAfm Sports Special over the weekend.